Joyful : the surprising power of ordinary things to create extraordinary happiness

Joyful The surprising power of ordinary things to create extraordinary happiness

Ingrid Fetell Lee

Book - 2018

Have you ever wondered why we stop to watch the orange glow that arrives before sunset, or why we flock to see cherry blossoms bloom in spring? Is there a reason that people -- regardless of gender, age, culture, or ethnicity -- are mesmerized by baby animals, and can't help but smile when they see a burst of confetti or a cluster of colorful balloons? We are often made to feel that the physical world has little or no impact on our inner joy. Increasingly, experts urge us to find balance and calm by looking inward -- through mindfulness or meditation -- and muting the outside world. But what if the natural vibrancy of our surroundings is actually our most renewable and easily accessible source of joy? In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell ...Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one setting makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters acceptance and delight -- and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.

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Subjects
Happiness.
Human beings > Effect of environment on.
Self-actualization (Psychology)
Published
New York : Little, Brown Spark 2018.
Language
English
Main Author
Ingrid Fetell Lee (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
359 pages : illustrations, charts ; 25 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 323-344) and index.
ISBN
9780316399265
  • Introduction
  • 1. Energy
  • 2. Abundance
  • 3. Freedom
  • 4. Harmony
  • 5. Play
  • 6. Surprise
  • 7. Transcendence
  • 8. Magic
  • 9. Celebration
  • 10. Renewal
  • Joyful Toolkit
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • Index
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Designer Lee explores how to craft a more joyful life with this wise, empowering guide to drawing pleasure from natural wonders, brightly colored building facades, and other tangible aspects of one's environment. Backing up her insights with research from psychology and neuroscience, Lee identifies 10 "aesthetics of joy": energy, abundance, freedom, harmony, play, surprise, transcendence, magic, celebration, and renewal. She relates energy to "vibrant color and light," finding an example in the renewal of the Albanian city of Tirana, at one time plagued by crime and decay; four years after the mayor began painting buildings in bright hues, citizens had reclaimed their city. For the surprise aesthetic, characterized by "contrast and whimsy," Lee draws an example from her own life, remembering shaking with nerves before a boardroom presentation when she noticed that a buttoned-down, gray-suited executive was wearing rainbow-colored socks. He caught her gaze and smiled, a "small, unexpected burst of joy." She finds the transcendence aesthetic at play in the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, where 500 hot-air balloons are launched each year. This book's extended passages of analysis might be daunting for some, but Lee's vignettes are engaging and a reminder that "every human being is born with the capacity for joy." Illus. Agent: Richard Pine, InkWell Management. (Sept.) c Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review by Library Journal Review

Well read by the author, this book will encourage listeners to examine their spaces, surroundings, and belongings. Designer Lee discusses the new minimalist movement and how it might be contrary to basic instinct. Because humans were hunter-gatherers, abundance was a good thing, and we may be basically programmed to appreciate and seek it. Lee points out, though, that too much of a good thing may be detrimental and encourages us to look around and think about the things that truly bring us joy. Lee, both in her TED Talks and in this work, urges listeners to look closely at choices to learn what it was that appealed in the first place. While attending design school, she realized that joy can be cultivated through tangible items. Joy, which Lee defines as an intense momentary experience of positive emotion, differs from happiness in that joy is short-lived, while happiness denotes a longer experience. Lee believes that there are some universal "joy-bringers," small things that can have a big impact, from flowers to confetti to sunsets, rainbows, and balloons. Once we identify and surround ourselves with those things that bring us joy, we can include more small moments of joy in our lives. VERDICT This thought-provoking work is recommended to fans of Marie Kondo (Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up), those who enjoy self-help books, and anyone who is seeking to renew the spaces in which they live.-Cheryl Youse, Norman Park, GA © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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